left overs and random bits

Here are a few choice shots taken during the symposium that just didn't seem to fit in anywhere else...thanks again to all our amazing photographers.

Bobby hard at work

Peeps on the Green Monster

Ben and Bryce at Logan Clay

The Department at Night

Woodfiring Symposium-OU National Ceramics Invitational Exhibition Part 2

Many Thanks to Trisolini Gallery, and Petra Kralickova. As well as my co-curators, Natalie Tornatore, and Eleanor Harper, and co conspirator, James Tingey.

Also included in the show were Russ Wrankle, and Brian Harper.

Patrick Houston, who also attended the symposium.

Missy McCormick and Josh Copus.

Lindsay Oesteritter

Matt Hyleck

Birdie Boone

Brain Benfer

Woodfiring Symposium-OU National Ceramics Invitational Exhibition

In conjunction with the Woodfiring Symposium we hosted a National Invitational Ceramics Exhibition in Trisolini Gallery which ran from July through October.
Pictured above is Sam Hoffman.

Dennis Sipiorski of Louisiana, a great potter and elvis impersonator.

Kurt Anderson, Lidded Jar.

The Blog-Father himself, Micheal Kline of North Carolina sent us this amazing pot.

Dan Anderson

Cary Hulin of Holmes County Pottery in Ohio.

McKenzie Smith

Michael Hunt and Naomi Diaglish

Ryan Greenheck

Brenda Lichmann

I had to include two images of Mary Louise Carters teapot,
so you could see the locking lid system.

Brian Deietrle

Tara Wilson

Adam Posnak

Woodfiring Symposium-Logan Clay Field Trip

While the kilns were cooling, we all took a trip over to Logan Ohio, to get a tour of the Logan Clay Plant. Logan Clay is one of the last remaining ceramic sewer pipe factories in the country. We used some of their clay which is mined in nearby Perry County during the symposium. It is an orange-greenish clay with high iron content, it looked beautiful in the reduction cooled train kiln. The above picture is the grinding machine where they process the raw clay.

This is the largest tube kiln at Logan Clay, this kiln hasn't operated in several years, due to high energy prices. Most of the sewer pipes are fired in Beehive Kilns outside. Our tour guide told us that occasionally a pipe will tip off of the car bed (see below) and drag against the wall. Highly sensitive machinery can detect the drag, and a worker is suited up in a silver suit and sent into the firing kiln with a shot gun to shoot the fallen pipe... completely crazy.

these are the cars for the tube kiln...you can see several racks of drying pipes in the background.

A list of retired workers painted on a warehouse beam.

This the yard where they store finished pipes. The beehive kilns are the black roofs in the background. Most of the pipes made here go to big cities (New York, Chicago) which have old infrastructures. A PVC pipe will last about 75 years, while a ceramic pipe lasts about 200.

Here is Bryce in the Drying room, which was completely packed with green ware, it was like a forest of clay trees.

This is the extruder used to make the pipes, which were under such huge amounts of pressure that they come out steaming...again, completely crazy.

woodfiring Symposium 2010: Big Cat Kiln Firing

Somehow we only ended up with a single image of the Big Cat in Action

Woodfiring Symposium 2010: Tube Kiln Firing

Kyle Tripplett, James Tingey, and Bryce Brisco

James stoking

Woodfiring Symposium 2010: Train Kiln Firing Pt. 2

Before and After, starring Ben Stout, Brian Pierce, Bryce Brisco, Ryan Trussel, and Matt Hyleck.

It must have been a good story, but I can't remember what the hell I was talking about...

the Train with and without a Flash

Woodfiring Symposium 2010: Train Kiln Firing

Matt Hyleck stokes the Bourry Box on the Train

Ben Stout sidestoking